Chinese Christmas trees are a hit

MANGALORE: Confireous trees have made a disappearing act, thanks to the availability of sophisticated Chinese Christmas trees to match everyone's taste and budget. Now you can see the natural Christmas trees only in the church compounds and on beaches, while more more people are opting for the more convenient Chinese trees to decorate their homes.
Ullhas Rasquinha of Jerosa Company, who has been selling these trees since decades, recalls that before Chinese products were available, they had to do with Kolkata products, a bottle brush painted green, which were passed off as Christmas tree.After the year 2000, Kolkata trees vanished since Chinese ones are attractive and reasonably priced. Ullhas said that a four ft tree which used cost Rs 1,500-Rs 2,000 in in the year 2000 now are available in the price range of Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 depending on the quality. "While Kolkata green brush tree of four ft height was available, Chinese trees are from one feet to 12 feet," he notes.
The Chinese presence in the markets has been so dominating that even the trinkets, bells, Santas and baubles for decorating a Christmas tree, which used to come from Kolkata again, have almost disappeared.
But none seem to be complaining. Carol, a housewife said: The messiness associated with getting a tree, making it stand inside the house, was a chore. "These Chinese trees have made my life easier. No doubt one has to decorate it, but there is no need to go scouting for a tree during Christmas. One buy will last five to six years or more depending on how it is stored after use, she adds.